This cinnamon apple energy bites recipe with organic freeze dried fruit has been sponsored by Homegrown Organic Farms. All opinions are my own. I have lived in the south for about 20 years but still consider myself a New Englander at heart. I choose walnuts over pecans and apples over peaches every time I can. This time of year, apples are in season and I find myself eating them daily. However, once we get into winter and spring, apples may be in the grocery store but they don't taste all that great anymore. I'd rather eat NO apple than eat … [Read more...]

This easy broccoli quiche recipe has been sponsored by Organic Valley. I received product to use for this vegetarian dinner idea but all opinions are my own. Every week, I sit down with Pinterest and a few cookbooks and try to come up with a few meatless dishes to serve throughout the week. Vegetarian dinner ideas like this easy broccoli quiche recipe help cut down on our food budget and reduce our carbon footprint. It is also a dinner my family really enjoys, which makes my life a whole lot easier! Doesn't it look delicious? Eggs are a … [Read more...]

This healthy quinoa salad recipe was a delicious last minute creation that I threw together after a haphazard inventory of my pantry. I had fresh spinach and wanted to use it for something other than green smoothies. I had a container of quinoa so I headed to Pinterest to find some quinoa salad recipes. Since I didn't have any of the other ingredients most of them asked for, I decided a little improvisation was needed. Lo and behold, a new salad recipe has been added to my monthly menu rotation! This post contains affiliate links. If you … [Read more...]

You know what I dislike about Monday? Everything. It seems to be the busiest day of the week and the one with the longest to do list. It also seems to be the day I am MOST tired! This vegetarian crockpot chili recipe was my solution to both of these problems. I literally did nothing but open cans, jars, and packages and dump it into a crockpot. Okay, there was some onion chopping and garlic mincing but that is really about it. There was nothing to pre-cook and since I put it in the crockpot, I just ignored it for 5 hours while it simmered and … [Read more...]

My husband and I have been experimenting with more vegetarian recipes. I realized that almost all of my vegetarian recipes involved cheese or pasta and I needed to branch out. This Asian quinoa recipe is loaded with protein from both the tofu and the quinoa. Fresh broccoli gives it a boost of color and the Asian inspired sauce provides a nice, bold flavor. It was honestly very tasty and I am not a huge tofu fan. This recipe served 4 people easily and I will definitely be making it again. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a … [Read more...]

My husband has a very strong German heritage so this weekend, we had friends and neighbors over for an Oktoberfest party. This German cucumber salad recipe was the perfect side dish to go with our grilled Bratwurst and all the delicious side dishes provided by our guests. All you need to do is slice up cucumbers and onions, add a simple oil and vinegar mix and stir in a ton of chopped, fresh dill. The resulting Gurkensalat is full of flavor, nice and crunchy, and absolutely delicious! If you are looking for more Oktoberfest recipes, you … [Read more...]

I decided to make this healthy homemade peanut butter fudge recipe because I have about 8 jars of peanut butter in my pantry. Why? Because I am the type of person who stocks up on healthy food when I find a good deal. I found a buy one get one free sale recently on natural peanut butter and I could probably make a years worth of PB&J sandwiches with it and never run out. This week, I have been scrolling through Pinterest looking at nut butter recipes for inspiration. I found a paleo fudge recipe online that looked easy enough and … [Read more...]

This spicy roasted chickpeas snack recipe is my new solution to snack time guilt. No more ‘hangry’ mom who is irritable because she is trying to avoid snacking. No more gazing longingly at my husband while he inhales food during our pre-bedtime TV session. Nope. Now, I am going to happily make this roasted chickpeas snack recipe several times a week to I can snack without guilt. Chickpeas (otherwise known as garbanzo beans) are loaded with flavor. But, who wants to sit around eating beans out of a can, right? Beans are loaded with protein … [Read more...]

After recently trying avocado cilantro crema for the first time, I can tell you that this stuff is like crack! Several years ago, my husband and I were out exploring a new farm to table restaurant. They had Pommes Frites on the menu which I had never heard of before. You know what Pommes Frites are? Basically it is a fancy word for French fries. The amazing thing about these Pommes Frites was not that I had never seen a French fry before. What really amazed me was that you could choose from dozens of dipping sauces for them! And only one of … [Read more...]

This kale recipe has been sponsored by Nature's Greens but all opinions expressed here are my own. One of the ways I try to eat healthier is to include a rainbow of colors in my diet throughout the week. I love colorful vegetables, whether it is purple cabbage, bright red tomatoes or deep green kale. However, have you ever had your kid turn up their noses at something just because of it's color? "I can't eat that, mom. It's GREEN!" Getting KIDS on the whole 'eating healthy' bandwagon is not always as easy as telling them it is good for them! … [Read more...]

This meatless Monday recipe has been sponsored by SC Johnson but all opinions expressed here are my own. The standard American diet, when compared to other cultures, includes a lot of meat. That being said, expanding our taste palate to include recipes from other countries will help to not only reduce our meat consumption, but our carbon footprint as well. Leaving meat out of your diet helps reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that are released into the earth. Next time you’re out shopping, visit the international aisle at your … [Read more...]

I am compensated for the articles I write for the SC Johnson Greener Choices blog but all opinions expressed are my own. Growing up, one of my mom's favorite meals to make during the fall was chicken pot pie. Nowadays, most people associate pot pies with little, round, frozen things you buy at the grocery store, but they are actually very easy to make from scratch. By substituting an array of vegetables for the chicken in this dish, you have an easy Meatless Monday recipe that is both flavorful and filling. You can top the pot pie with a pie … [Read more...]

This post about easy vegetarian recipes has been sponsored by Nature's Greens but all opinions expressed are my own. Reducing our meat consumption is a good choice both for our heath and to help reduce our carbon footprint. However, just because we do not include meat in a meal does not mean we need to throw in artificial meat products. I am not a big fan of overly processed foods, whether they are vegetarian or not. While meat is a good source of iron and protein, it is easy to get these same nutrients all contained within easy vegetarian … [Read more...]

This apple recipes post was inspired by a product I received at no charge to review but all opinions expressed are my own. Fall is finally here and with it comes my favorite food: APPLES! I grew up in New England so I am very picky about my apples...I don't want them mealy or overly sweet. I want a nice, juicy McIntosh that is crisp and just a tad bit sweet. Since we are heading into peak apple season I have been browsing through apple recipes on the Internet. I am starting to see locally grown apples in my grocery store and while they … [Read more...]

This Meatless Monday post is sponsored by SC Johnson but all opinions expressed here are my own. With kids heading back to school this month, our schedule is a bit more hectic during the week, leaving us with less time to prepare dinner. This recipe for Caprese Salad with Orzo contains fresh tomatoes and basil, which are both plentiful in gardens throughout August. The inclusion of pine nuts and mozzarella cheese makes this a filling and well-balanced meatless dish. The orzo used in this recipe is a small, rice shaped pasta available in most … [Read more...]

I love gardening and have learned over the last few years that there are some things I grow really well and some things I should just give up trying to grow. I have great luck with cherry tomatoes and hot peppers. Larger tomatoes never seem to grow as well for me...they end up with black spot or something eats them (other than ME!) before they get ripe. However, cherry tomatoes aren't quite as versatile as full sized tomatoes so I sometimes struggle to find things to do with them. I asked on my Facebook page recently about making homemade salsa … [Read more...]

I received a copy of Raw Food For Dummies for review. As I try to eat healthier I find myself interested in a number of different diet concepts. Some people go for high protein, low carb diets. Others choose to give up meat and/or animal based products. Some will only eat light and low fat foods. I recently met someone who was a raw vegan and the concept was fascinating. How does one start a raw food diet? Are you left eating carrot sticks and fruit every day? Is it possible for raw food to be a bit more complex and interesting? I have … [Read more...]

This meatless Monday recipe was made possible by a product I received from Crum Creek for review but all opinions expressed are my own. If you haven't jumped onto the meatless Monday bandwagon I really think you should! Reducing our meat consumption is a great way to reduce our carbon footprint but it is also fun coming up with creative meatless recipes once a week. I must admit, most of my meatless Monday recipes tend to revolve around cheese. While I have a few vegan recipes, dairy is one of those food categories I am way too dependent on. … [Read more...]

This pesto macaroni and cheese recipe is part of an ongoing collaboration with SC Johnson for which I am compensated. All opinions expressed here are my own. Going meatless in my house is easy as long as one of the vegetarian options frequently offered includes macaroni and cheese. Although purchasing macaroni and cheese from a box is vegetarian, I prefer to make my own so I can control the ingredients in the dish. Come check out my recipe for pesto macaroni and cheese that uses whole wheat pasta, real cheese, fresh milk and even some green … [Read more...]

Hello! I'm Diane. I'm a busy mom of hormonal teens who is trying to go green, get healthy and simplify life one baby step at a time. Click the photo to learn more about me or email me at [email protected]